As the fall semester begins on the campus of Alabama State University, new and returning students are moving into the various residence halls on Saturday, Aug.12-13, 2023. Since so many students would be moving into the residence halls on those days, the university referred to the activity as “Hornet Haul.”

As a resident assistant for Bessie Benson Hall and a junior, Ma’Mattie Moore-Witherspoon arrived early to get ready for the incoming students who would be moving into the residence hall.

“I feel like we did pretty good,” she said. “As a student leader, we were working together really well to get all the students moved in on time and in a nice and timely manner.  The only downside about it was that the weather was extremely hot when I went outside to help new students move in.”

Senior Larenzo Johnson did not share Witherspoon’s opinion.

“Moving in was horrendous,” he said.  “I just felt like it could have been organized better and ‘Bama State got way too many tools and resources for the experience to even be bad.  I just felt like, for one, when it came to renovations and things they needed to do on campus, why didn’t they take an earlier start on that to make it easier for students?”

Band member and senior Griffin Hatcher agreed somewhat with Johnson.

“Moving in was kind of unorganized because I had to move in with the band, and it was a hassle just trying to get in. As someone who resides in Facility One, I had to walk all the way around the building just to go in, when you could just go in through the back door because the staff uses the backdoor anyway, but that was the only downside.”